How to Find AliExpress Suppliers for Dropshipping in 2026

Dropshipping has opened doors for entrepreneurs who want to build businesses without managing warehouses or investing heavily in inventory. The increasing interest in this area has led to dropshipping becoming a USD $434.98 billion market globally.¹

AliExpress, with its vast marketplace of suppliers, is often the starting point for those entering this model. But how to find AliExpress suppliers you can trust? The challenge lies in filtering through thousands of options to identify sellers who provide quality and reliability.

It’s not as simple as it may seem to find the right supplier. A product may look promising on a listing, but the real difference comes from the supplier behind it, such as their communication, fulfillment speed and long-term dependability.

Our guide explains the steps in finding reliable AliExpress suppliers. We also cover services that may help in this regard. We'll also discuss the Wise Business account. The global account that can help your company with all things cross-border.

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How to Find AliExpress Suppliers: A Step-by-Step Process

Once you’ve made up your mind on the type of products you want to sell, you can follow these steps to find the right suppliers to source the items from.

Step 1: Use Smart Search and Filters

The way you approach AliExpress search results will determine your supplier experience. Don’t rely on the first product that catches your eye. Instead, refine your filters to highlight sellers with high order volumes and consistently strong ratings.

Pay attention to the “Orders” sorting option, as it brings forward items that have already been purchased by many customers. Pair that with review filters set to four stars or higher, and you’ll start to separate dependable suppliers from the less reliable ones.

Platforms like AutoDS can help here. It can provide supplier data like shipping costs, seller reputation, shipping speed and recommendations, which saves your valuable research time.

Step 2: Evaluate Seller Profiles in Detail

Every seller profile on AliExpress has several signs of reliability. Before you add a product to your store, check how long the seller has been active on the platform. Look at their positive feedback percentage and detailed seller scores.

A seller with at least one year of history and a positive rating above 95% tends to be a safer choice. You should also check breakdowns such as product accuracy, responsiveness and delivery speed.

A rating above 4.7 is generally excellent. Anything under 4.5 could cause complications with order fulfillment.

Step 3: Check Shipping Times and Warehouses

Modern buyers expect their orders in days, not months. That’s why verifying shipping times is a must.

On each product page, select the destination country and review the delivery estimates provided. Suppliers with warehouses in the United States, Europe or other major markets often provide faster turnaround, sometimes as quick as three to seven days.

When sourcing directly from China, aim for suppliers who can guarantee delivery in under three weeks through services like AliExpress Standard Shipping, which usually includes tracking at no additional cost.

Step 4: Go Through Customer Reviews

The review section is where you’ll find honest feedback that no filter can replace. Pay attention to detailed comments about product quality, packaging and shipping reliability.

It also helps to go through photos uploaded by past buyers, as they provide unedited proof of what the product actually looks like upon arrival. Watch for repeated complaints such as incorrect sizes or missing items. These red flags can lead to negative customer experiences in your own store.

Step 5: Learn About Buyer Protection and Return Options

AliExpress provides safeguards, but the extent of protection can vary by supplier. Before moving forward, confirm that the product page displays clear return information and the AliExpress Money Back Guarantee.

Some sellers also offer free returns in specific regions, which can improve your customer service experience. Select suppliers who honor these protections, as it will help reduce disputes.

Step 6: Test Supplier Communication

As important as competitive prices are, they’re not enough when you’re running a business. You also need suppliers who communicate well and swiftly.

After you narrow down a list of suppliers you want to check out, reach out with questions before you commit. Ask about delivery times, custom packaging or whether items can be shipped without logos or promotional inserts.

A reliable supplier will respond quickly, ideally within 24 hours, and provide clear answers. Poor communication early on is a sign that you’ll get unreliable service later, especially when dealing with urgent issues.

Step 7: Place Sample Orders Before Selling

No amount of research can replace first-hand experience. So, before you list something on your website, order it from the supplier you’ve selected. You can then evaluate everything from the actual quality to the shipping speed and packaging.

Use this step as a final filter before promoting an item in your store. Suppliers who deliver products on time and in good condition are more likely to perform well once orders scale.

Step 8: Build a Long-Term Relationship

Dropshipping relies heavily on the supplier’s ability to deliver quality products consistently and on time. It’s best to treat suppliers as long-term partners rather than temporary success sources.

Maintain professional communication with them by providing accurate order details and being specific with requests such as packaging requirements or shipping preferences. Suppliers appreciate it when dropshippers respect their time, which often results in faster responses and better service.

Place orders regularly, even in smaller volumes, to bring consistency in your relationship. Suppliers are more inclined to prioritize repeat clients during busy periods like holidays or sales events. If you expect high order volumes in the future, let them know in advance so they can plan inventory accordingly.

Over time, stronger relationships can result in benefits like lower shipping costs, faster shipping, discounted pricing or early access to new products.

Red Flags to Look Out for When Selecting AliExpress Suppliers

Even after careful filtering and research, not every supplier on AliExpress is a safe bet. Some sellers may look reliable on the surface, but reveal major issues once you start sending them consistent orders.

Here are some signs to look out for in identifying these suppliers.

Low or Misleading Feedback Scores

A supplier with an overall rating below 95% should give you pause. It indicates that too many customers have had issues with quality or communication.

On the flip side, a supplier displaying a perfect 100% rating but with only a handful of reviews can be just as concerning. New or reset profiles sometimes use artificially inflated ratings to appear trustworthy.

The safer choice is suppliers with strong ratings in the 95% to 99% range, backed by hundreds or even thousands of transactions.

Stores With No Clear Focus

Specialization in product selection often signals credibility. If you land on a store selling phone chargers, makeup, lamps, pet toys and high heels under the same brand, it’s usually a reseller rather than a legitimate distributor.

Serious suppliers tend to focus on a single niche because that’s where they build relationships with buyers. So, whatever your business sector is, opt for stores that consistently sell products related to it rather than a scattershot mix.

Poor Communication

Suppliers who take days to respond or who reply with templated, vague messages are unlikely to provide reliable service once your order volume increases. So, working with them is a no-no.

A trustworthy supplier will answer your questions within 24 hours and provide clear responses that show they understand your needs.

Too-Good-to-Be-True Pricing

A suspiciously steep discount is usually a sign of trouble. There’s likely something wrong with the quality, or the supplier could be using a shady marketing ploy.

For example, a product valued at $50 listed for $5 with flashy discount banners often signals low-grade items or misleading marketing tactics. Genuine suppliers don’t have to resort to fake sales gimmicks. They maintain stable pricing and occasionally offer moderate promotions.

Best Practices for Working With AliExpress Suppliers

After you find AliExpress dropshipping suppliers, you also have to work with them continuously. Here are some best practices to follow in this regard.

Use the Dropshipping Center

The AliExpress Dropshipping Center is one of the most underused resources on the platform. It’s a free tool that shows you real sales data, delivery history and supplier performance across different regions.

Plus, you can compare sellers offering the same product and identify those with faster shipping times. The Dropshipping Center also shows you which items are trending in your niche, so you can highlight them in your store.

Automate Repetitive Tasks

As order volume grows, the time you spend on manual work increases dramatically. Automation tools such as AutoDS remove much of this burden by syncing stock availability and prices in real time and handling one-click order fulfillment.

These tools keep you from accidentally selling out-of-stock products or items that suddenly increase in price. Plus, you can save a lot of time with automation that would otherwise go to manual order handling.

In fact, a Salesforce report reveals that automation saves around 3.6 hours a week.³ As a business, you can spend this time on other demanding tasks like customer experience.

Build Strong Communication Habits

Suppliers are partners, not just vendors. Treat them that way so that you can get the support you need during peak sales seasons.

Always keep communication professional and specific. If you’re scaling an item, let them know in advance so they can prepare stock. Also, ask about alternative shipping routes during busy holidays or negotiate for invoice-free packaging to create stellar customer experiences.

Use Extensions and Research Tools

Besides the Dropshipping Center, you can also use extensions like UP Assistant or DSers’ Chrome plugin to analyze suppliers faster. These tools come with features like live trust rating and price history charts to help you compare sellers. Plus, you can cross-check supplier reliability without spending too much time.

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Why Entrepreneurs Choose AliExpress for Dropshipping

Low product costs aren’t the only reason for AliExpress becoming one of the most popular marketplaces for new and growing dropshipping businesses. Of its competitors, Alibaba is the one that comes closest to it.

However, the platform is structured differently from Alibaba, which primarily connects buyers with large-scale manufacturers. On Alibaba, transactions often require direct negotiations, bulk purchases and a level of commitment that can be out of reach for someone only starting their business.

On the other hand, AliExpress functions more like a traditional online store. It has a shopping card, a straightforward checkout and no need to haggle over pricing or order size.

Its purchase design makes it possible to order a single item and test it before offering it in your store. Such flexibility is rare in the world of international suppliers, and it’s one of the reasons why AliExpress has become almost inseparable from the idea of dropshipping.

Entrepreneurs can begin with virtually no upfront investment. There are no platform fees or large order minimums. You can experiment with different niches and learn what your customers are interested in along the way.

The appeal of AliExpress also lies in its accessibility. With millions of items spanning countless categories, you can build a store that matches your vision. Many dropshipping suppliers on the platform are trading companies or smaller distributors who already understand the demand of sellers. They are prepared to ship items directly to individual customers and often have systems for international shipping.

Integration tools like DSers add another layer of simplicity. If you’re running a Shopify store, you can connect it directly to AliExpress, import product listings with a few clicks in DSers and automate much of the order fulfillment process.²

However, the ease of access comes with one important responsibility: supplier research. The abundance of sellers means product quality and service levels vary widely. It’s up to you to identify reliable AliExpress suppliers who can consistently deliver for your customers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there U.S. suppliers on AliExpress?

Some AliExpress sellers operate warehouses in the U.S. or partner with local distributors. You can use the "Ship from" filter to find these sellers. When you ship from U.S.-based locations, the delivery times may be shorter, which can improve customer satisfaction.

How to find hidden brands on AliExpress?

Use filters for high ratings, order volume and specialized product categories to find these brands. Tools like UP Assistant can also help find lesser-known sellers. Check customer reviews and images to gauge past experiences shoppers have had with the seller.

How do I reach out to suppliers on AliExpress?

Open the product page and click the “Contact Seller” button. Then, you can ask specific questions about stock, shipping, packaging, inventory, product selection and more.

Can AliExpress suppliers handle bulk orders for dropshipping?

Many suppliers accommodate bulk orders and may even offer discounts for larger quantities. Communicate your expected order volume upfront to confirm availability and packaging options.

Are product samples necessary before scaling dropshipping?

You can order samples to verify the quality, actual delivery time and packaging of the products you’ll be selling to your customers. Testing products first-hand reduces risks and confirms the supplier’s reliability before committing to higher volumes.

How do I handle returns with AliExpress suppliers?

Check each supplier’s return policy before listing products. Many provide an AliExpress money-back guarantee or free returns in select regions. Communicate clearly if a product is defective or incorrect, and keep documentation for disputes to resolve issues quickly.

Do suppliers offer branded packaging for dropshipping?

Some do, while others only ship generic packaging. Ask suppliers in advance about custom packaging, logo-free shipments or invoice-free options.

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Sources:

1. Dropshipping Market Size, Share, and Trends 2025 to 2034 | Precedence Research
2. Start Dropshipping on AliExpress: 2025 Playbook | Shopify
3. What’s Holding Employees Back from Being More Productive? New Slack Research Holds Answers | Salesforce